The Washington critic., 1887-07-25

When came 10 | was lying on my
back. remember the first thing saw
was light cloud sailing over the clear
blue. There was an air of peace and
quiet In 1t that cortrasted with my own
sensations. Then | saw man on his
knees beside something he was rubbing.
| turned on my side and saw 1t was
little figure; girl, Julia. She was cold
and stark.
My agony was far greater than when
/ had plunged after her into the stream.
Then / hoped and believed that.if she
were drowned should be also. Now
/ saw her beside me lifeless, and
lived.
Then some men came, and the man
who was rubbing Julia said to them,
Take care of the boy; the girl is too
far gone" They took me up and car.
ried me away, and laid me for awhile
on bed In strange house. Then |
was driven to the school.
The next day my father came and
took me home. l was i'll after that,
too i'll to ask about Julia, but when /
recovered what q load was taken from
my mind to know that by dint of rub.
bing and rolling and q stimulant she
tOO uuu pCch DiOuBut w uuu lhu re-
covered. also learned that the man
who cared for us had rescued us. When
! saw him running along the planks, 1t
was to his boat chained at the end
That summer my father removed
with his family to the Pacific coast.
He was obliged to walt some time for
my recovery, but at last was able TO
travel, and left without again seeing
the little girl whom l had led into dan.
ger. ! only heard that had been
blamed by every one.
~.
Ten years passed, during which /
was constantly haunted by one idea;
that was to 90 back to New England,
find Julia and implore her forgiveness.
The years that must be boy and dc.
pendent seemed interminable. AT last
| came of age and received a small
fortune that had fallen to me. and as
soon as the papers In the case were
duly signed and sealed / started East.
1t was just about the same time of
the year and the same hour of the af.
tefnoon rs when first saw Julia that /
walked into the old school grounds. |
had fully intended to go Ia next door
and call for her. but my courage failed
me. had heard nothing of her for
years. Was she dead ? Was she
living? Was she in her old home, or
far away? These thoughts chased
each other through my mind and l
dreaded TO know,
was standing at the school entrance
with my hand on the bell when l heard
door in the next house open, and then
shut. From that moment could feel
that Julia was near me, She came out
of the house, slender, graceful girl Of
10, and picking up croquet mallet,
commenced knocking the balls about.
l approached the fence. l wanted to
make myself known, but dreaded the
horror with which she would regard
me when she knew who | was.
II beg pardon" l said, raising my
hat "can you tell me If DR.. Howard's
school is still there2" pointing to the
house.
"Dr. Howard moved some years
ago." she said, regarding me with the
old, honest gaze.
Il was one of his boys"
'1ndeed?" she said, but without
any further encouragement for me to
go on.
II see the wood has not been cut
away" / added, glancing toward 1t.
NO" she said, 'it does not seem to
be"
Were you ever thcre?" ooh, yes,
often"
"And is that old dam still across the
river?"
II believe it is"
ttWnrn IN Il ~
looked at me curiously.
"Once," she said, "when | was q
child, i met with an accident there"
"llow was that ~
Il went to the dam with a boy, one
of the scholars, and we walked out to
where the water was flowing over, and
! fell in"
The boy over persuaded you, sup
pose?'
1t was difficult for me to conceal a
certain trepidation at the mention Of
my fault.
No, went of my own accord"
My heart almost stopped beating.
"He must certainly have been to
blame" l said. "IIe was older and
stronger than you"
/ noticed slight rising irritation.
"On the contrary" she said, "he
jumped after me like a noble boy, as
he was"
was obliged to turn away. could
not trust myself to look into her face.
'At any rate he must have begged
your forgiveness on his bended knees
for permitting you TO so into such a
danger"
II never saw him again; he went
away"
tancied, ut least l hoped, l could
detect tinge Of sadness In her voice.
81 have often wished" she went on.
chat he would come back as the other
scholars someti mes do, as you are now,
and let me tell him how much | thank
him for his noble effort"
Julia" l said, suddenly, turning
and facing her, "this is too much. |
am that boy. led you into the wood.
forced you to 60 out on the dam with
me. i permitted you to fall in"
And more than atoned for all by
risking your life to save me %
All, that look of surprised delight
which accompanied her words 1t was
worth all my past years of suffering, of
fancied blame; for in 1t | read how
dearly she held the memory of the boy
who had at least shared the danger for
which he was responsible.
do not remember If she grasped my
hand or ! grasped hers. At any rate
we stood hand in hand looking into
each Others faces.
blessed the Providence that ended
my punishment; | blessed the good
fortune that had led me to q knowledge
Of the kindly heart beside me. OF all
the moments of my life l still count il
far the happiest,
~
We did not part after that for
another ten years. Then she left me
to 90 whence | can never recall her,